Setting up a new snapping turtle tank

Petrella88

Gambusia
MFK Member
Sep 29, 2008
201
0
16
Chicago
I had my snapper temporarily in a 55g half water no filter just a heater and a pile of boulders with a basking light above it and weekly water changes and then I got this 35g (I think) breeder and the bottom just blew out so I tossed a return pump in there and drained it real quick until I can figure out what to do. I ended up going with the 125g I was hoping to use for a natives setup this spring. I figured 55g I originally had him in was too small to be anything but short term and my 75g is tied up with my channel cat. The snapper is getting pretty aggressive (pretty much just toward me when hes hungry because he knows Im the guy with food) but I dont want to take any chances housing him with the 10'' channel cat. So I tossed an EMP350 and a AC110 on the 125g and filled her up. I just tossed a bunch of structure in there for the time being so he'd be comfortable but I didnt want to set anything up until I heard back from you guys about land mass for basking and stuff. Hes a pretty solid swimmer so if he doesnt need to bask I'll just keep the tank filled to the top and aside from him ripping the cover tube off the intake on the AC110 and getting stuck and then maiming my finger while trying to get him out there hasnt been any problems. My only concern would be about dropping the water level down and the pumps not being able to draw the water up. Id really like to avoid having to go with a pond filter set up (for now) if possible because of money but my friend might have one laying around for me. Im open to any advice you guys might have about set up from substrate to filtration and everything between. I also wouldnt mind throwing some inexpensive and cool looking tank mates that wouldnt be easy targets for him because hes kinda lazy when it comes to these feeders I tossed in and they are all just getting fat on his scraps for like 6 months because I keep him fed good on turtle pellets, store bought night crawlers, red wigglers, chicken liver, raw chicken breast, and whatever freeze dried omega products I have around for the fish. The way I had the breeder set up the heater and powerhead were in the back on the ground and then I just secured boulders on against the glass over them because I noticed he was immediately trying to chomp the heater and the cords so I would need a way to solve that in a much deeper tank if you think he would be capable of wrecking the heater or the cords. If I missed anything let me know thanks!

 

thohman

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 2, 2014
21
0
0
Michigan
My snapper died along time ago and I'm sure I didn't set him up right but a friend and I caught him before he could submerge and he went from a 10g to a 30g until he was way oversized. Anyway I ended up with him in a 90g for a year or so, fed him anything and everything. He went through 120 goldfish in 30 mins. He was a beast!! Now you got me sad he's gone, his shell was 12 inches, a flippin monster.

Anyway, I had him in a full tank that was set up for fish, regular filter, heater, and power heads. He seemed to be ok until he died. When I put him in there there were live plants and a few fish that he promptly ate/ smashed so I don't know how well that would go. Good luck!


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